Winston Churchill said it best – “Never give up on something that you can’t go a day without thinking about.” The journey to success is not an easy one, it takes courage and determination.

There are many reasons why you may not be reaching your goals like, giving up too soon, or not having a strong enough action plan in place but one of the most common sneaky reasons is that we abandon what we truly desire.

Imagine Thomas Edison or Steve Jobs saying, I’ve tried for too long and it’s still not working out so I’m throwing in the towel! Don’t give up on your dreams just because you haven’t figured it out just yet.

Best,

Gina

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.―Thomas Edison

Self-confidence is a feeling in trusting your own abilities, judgement, qualities and power. Your personal experiences may have caused you to lose confidence in your abilities or have blown away your self-esteem.

A confident person:• does what they believe is right• they may ruffle the feathers of friends and family• they take chances and are willing to make mistakes• they are optimistic even in the face of adversity• they accept their fear but still move toward their goals• they can accept compliments and give them

Don’t confuse confidence with being arrogant, rebellious or spiteful as these feelings only make you feel worse and at best will provide temporary relief. Real self-confidence requires you to be honest with yourself and stick with it, even when it is uncomfortable.

Self-confidence is an important element in having a healthy and balanced life. Don’t wait for confidence before you do the thing you need to do. Do the thing and you will gain self-confidence.

Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence. —Helen Keller

Comparing ourselves to others is a natural response and we do it automatically. Comparing ourselves with others is unfair because we are comparing our worst parts with what you think are their best parts.

When you look at other people you don’t always see the whole picture. Don’t be fooled by their appearance or social media updates. We easily forget that we really don’t always know what others are going through.

Most people have had their share of messes, mistakes and shame and all of these things have been a catalyst to becoming a wiser and better you. When you are in the depths of comparison, ask yourself what am I actually feeling?

Is comparison masking as jealousy or feelings of inadequacy?

Comparing yourself only serves a purpose when it inspires you to be something more. Be proud of yourself and how far you’ve come.

Boundaries can be defined as the limits you set with other people, what you consider acceptable behaviour. Generally, boundaries come from having a healthy dose of self-esteem and respect.

Without a clear sense of boundaries life can be challenging. You may find yourself being dominated, controlled or have the inability to make decisions for yourself. Feelings of guilt may arise when you listen to yourself instead of them.

To be in your power you must know what your values are. You have the right to say no or yes as you choose.

You can set healthy boundaries and only you can make sure that they are adhered to.

Gina

Don’t waste words on people who deserve your silence. Sometimes the most powerful thing you can say is nothing at all. Anonymous

You are born and hard-wired with personal power, self-worth and inner guidance. Owning your personal power is the ability, to think, feel and act as you wish to. It is self-determination, confidence and a deep and an inner strength. It enables you to live your truth no matter how many other forces around you may want to stop you.

Many women are afraid to embrace and own their power because they feel they may be negatively judged or belittled for wanting to change. It’s true you might lose family and friends who are jealous that you are gaining confidence but then you will naturally want to surround yourself with liked minded people.

So, what does it feel like when you are losing your power? It may sound like a silly question but many women have not had the experience of being in their own power. It feels foreign and unfamiliar. Yet I tell you that you are equipped and born to feel and live with your own power. It’s natural as sunshine and yellow tulips.

Here are a few signs that you are failing to own your personal power:

Feelings of inferiority and self-doubt
tolerating people and things that drain you
You want validation or approval from others
Allowing others to control your decisions
You are a people pleaser
Feeling like a victim
Feelings of guilt of doing something for yourself
Difficulty in expressing your thoughts
Excepting abuse of any kind

You can reclaim your personal power by living your truth. This will be the beginning of your breakthrough. There may be a point in your life where you feel you no longer can pretend to be someone you are not.

Here are some signs that you confirm that you are moving in the right direction. You may find you are saying no or yes when you mean it. You will start to pay attention to your intuition. You may feel signs of relief when you start to take small steps towards what you really want to say, do or be. You won’t be making excuses as to why you can’t but you will start to look and find ways to make it happen.

Telling the truth is about feeling good in your own skin, unencumbered, free, and having the life you want to live. Deborah King

Quitting may not be the answer because most people need the money to pay their bills and have no savings to rely on. You may feel stuck and afraid of not knowing how to change things.

Here are some practical steps that work…

Develop a compelling reasonto do this job, for now. Consider what your life would be like if you had no income. That certainly would not feel better. So, this may be the leverage you need to keep you motivated to do this work, for now.

While continuing to work at your current job, start immediately to search for a new job that is more in line with your values, dreams and overall joy.

Make a list of the qualities you want in your new job. Such as location, salary, bonuses, benefits, company size, etc.

Research the companies that appeal to you and send them your resume.

Send your resume to employment agencies and be proactive with your employment search.

It can be discouraging when the job offers are not coming your way. I suggest adopting a healthy self-care routine, work-out, eat well, rest, play and spend time in nature.

Do what you love, as an example, if your goal is to be a fashion designer, create a space in home and time in which to design. This is very important. Do not stop doing what you love because you are not getting paid to do it.

Press on,

Gina Rizzo

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.

We live in a fast-paced world of technology and we are inundated with information. We read something on the internet and might assume, that its true. I have listened to the so-called experts for decades, especially regarding health and nutrition. When ever I went against my gut feelings, I felt a loss of my personal power because I believed them instead of myself.

Answer: These people are leaders in the field of personal development.

They all eat different diets and it works for them.

We are evolving beings and our requirements for nourishment changes. In the last few years I decided to start eating intuitively because what ever I was doing before was not working for me. Sure, knowledge and information is a good thing but we still get to choose. Let’s face it not even the experts can agree on what constitutes good nutrition.

At times, I still find it challenging to decide what to eat but I know that I am getting better at it because I keep asking myself what will work for me now. I don’t judge myself when I choose something that didn’t feel good after I ate it because I know I did my best. This article isn’t about food but about learning to listen and trust yourself by paying attention to your intuition.

I want to enjoy my food and I don’t want to worry about the food police. As we approach the holiday season there might be a temptation to be a glutton and stuff yourself silly but why? I know that I too must remind myself of the most important of vitamins.

Vitamin G – eat with gratitude

Vitamin L – eat with love

Vitamin P – eat with pleasure

Vitamin R – eat in a relaxed state of being

Vitamin S – eat and drink slowly and savour

Buon Appetito

“Treat yourself as if you already are enough. Walk as if you are enough. Eat as if you are enough. See, look, listen as if you are enough. Because it’s true.”Geneen Roth